by Jason

Oxy hails from the capital of Brazil and produces a beautiful shoegaze/dreampop style of music. Their debut, released on March 10^th, consists of four tracks of dreamy summertime tunes produced by Sara Cândido and Bandu Correia. They are clearly a multi-instrumental duo that is inspired by both 80’s pop sensibilities with a shoegaze flavor.

“No Shoes” is our introduction to this melodious duo and it comes into the speakers all dancing, shimmering, and thumping. It is slightly muted at first, but then the mix brightens, inviting listeners to dance amid the shimmering guitars. Cândido’s vocals are innocent and gorgeous against the waterfalls of reverb drenched sonics. The bridge explodes in swirling guitars with driving percussion and bass. “Mad” gets the body swaying, with its lilting tempo and metronomic, glittering guitars. This was the first single released in April 2016 and it’s a brilliant introduction to the band. The chorus section slows down and spreads out, giving space for Cândido’s vocals to shine. Underneath all the shimmer and beauty is a slight melancholy that permeates the piece. The contrast is perfect and demonstrates that Oxy is the real deal. Again, the bridge in this song is magnificent with cascading synth sounds and trilling guitars.

“Pride” is dreamy and very popish. The vocals have a nice melodic hook and the drums play with high hat and crash in a way that really brightens up the tone. Guitars are reverb drenched and soaring as Cândido sings a melody over the denser guitar waves. “Cold Hands” centers the melody on the guitar line right out of the gate but it fades as fuzzy edged guitar take over. The song has a slow tempo with bright edges and Cândido’s vocals brighten up the track, which is melancholier than the rest. A more conventional piece, it has a shoegaze/dream-pop edge that makes it feel both familiar and yet not.

For me, Oxy came on the scene out of left field but I am so glad I encountered their rich dreampop music. At once familiar and refreshing, the Oxy EP brings to the table a gorgeous set of infectious tracks that will brighten your day and get you moving. Even in those melancholy moments, there is a tinge of hopefulness and joy that can’t be ignored. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!